A World Reborn (Book 2): Global Outbreak

by Thompson, Chris

  “Damn it.” Melissa said to herself. She hadn’t expected it would be an untouched bastion, but as she looked at the size of the structure her concern mounted that it might be packed with infected. If it was, then it would be difficult, if not damn impossible, to clear it out in a timely manner. Despite her unease, however, Melissa nudged the Ancillary and continued towards the station.

  As they neared the front doors she was surprised to find no obstructions or barricades had been erected; it seemed the building had simply been abandoned. Melissa looked back at Kevin and signaled him to come forward. When he was close, she passed control of the Ancillary to him. Roy moved up beside her, bringing his weapon to a ready position.

  “Don’t let her out of your sight. We’re going to scope this place out.” Melissa explained.

  “Okay.” Kevin replied, although he didn’t seem overly confident.

  “If she tries to run, shoot her in the leg.” Roy instructed firmly. “If you hear gunfire inside and we’re not out in five minutes, then I guess you’re taking the bus.”

  Kevin seemed overwhelmed, but took a deep, steadying breath and nodded in submission to their instructions.

  With a final look between them to ensure they were both ready, Melissa and Roy pushed the wooden doors inward and stepped into the reception room. There was a shoulder high desk with a raised platform behind for someone to work efficiently and a glass wall reinforced with a metal frame on either side; each with a door in the centre that probably had to be buzzed open. Currently, however, one was wedged open with the body of an infected. A few more lay dead on the floor of the reception area - one of whom, at first glance, appeared to be lounging peacefully on a wooden bench opposite the desk until the bloody viscera splattered up the window behind it, caused when a bullet blasted through his skull, caught one’s attention.

  Roy advanced slowly towards the glass door on the left, his wounded gait not hindering him as he moved with justifiable caution with Melissa just behind him. They stepped awkwardly over the corpse, also shot in the head, and proceeded into the area behind the desk where a pair of skeletal remains indicated two people immune to the virus had fallen and been devoured. There was a single set of double doors right behind the desk, which looked to be on a pair of double hinges. Melissa shifted to the right-side door while Roy took the one on the left. They indicated to each other they were ready and then pushed in their respective doors in unison, revealing a corridor beyond in an inverted T shape, with the avenue directly ahead leading to an elevator that had a door to its left which, according to the sign on it, would open up to reveal stairs to the upper floor. Also at the far end was an open door on either side of the corridor, perhaps leading to departmental offices. At the end of the corridor on their right was a door marked ‘Cells and Interrogation’ while the door at the end of the one on their left was unmarked.

  “Which way?” Melissa asked Roy quietly, hoping his tenure as a police officer might aid them.

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” He responded quietly. Melissa gestured with her rifle towards the main avenue ahead of them, and so, moving along with their backs to the wall so that nothing could creep up behind them, they started to walk down it. There was evidence of a battle; bullet holes, blood, gore, a dead infected here and there, and a pair of bloody drag marks which more than likely belonged to the two defenders they had passed who were immune to the virus. They cautiously approached the doorways, and then both Melissa and Roy crept up to the frames and took a quick peek into the rooms nearest to them to check for threats. A shake of the head signaled none were visible, so Melissa took a deep breath, pushed off from the wall and moved swiftly into the room nearest to her while Roy entered the one closest to him. Melissa scanned her surroundings, seeing a few overturned desks, scattered papers, destroyed computers and a number of bodies. All had been shot through the head after being attacked, so someone had obviously heeded the reports and prevented their fellow officers from being turned. Melissa hoped he or she had managed to escape. Before it was a battleground, Melissa assumed this was a department of some sort - robbery or homicide she assumed - with a glass walled office across from the door, no doubt where the superior officer oversaw the detectives working the cases he or she had assigned to them. There were, sadly, no surviving officers that Melissa could see, and so, after moving through as quickly and as efficiently as she could, she exited the department to meet back up with Roy, who had just finished securing the other, similarly structured room.

  “Clear.” Roy informed her. “Except for a few dead Reborn.”

  “Clear on that side too,” Melissa announced, “though no dead Reborn.”

  Deciding against going upstairs for the moment as they wanted to completely secure the first floor of the police station, they stopped only to make sure the stairwell up was clear and that the elevator was on the ground floor. Satisfied, Melissa and Roy turned back and retraced their steps to the junction and turned left into the corridor which ended in the door that led into the ‘Cells and Interrogation’. A few steps along the corridor a door on the right opened into a briefing room, with a number of seats lined up facing a podium with a white board on the wall behind it. After a brief look through the windows which looked out of the front of the building, they continued on to their destination, where they discovered a central room with three interrogation rooms on the right, the door to the cells on the left and an unmarked door directly across from the entrance. The interrogation rooms each had an intercom beside the door, and a window in the wall that was likely mirrored on the inside. The interrogation rooms were empty, so they turned their attention to the other billed area. The cells were behind a door secured by a keycard, which, after a quick search, Melissa found on the brutalized remains of a fallen officer nearby, together with a bunch of keys which she thought might be useful as they were definitely not the keys to his home. The cells, three on either side with a central corridor down the middle, were thankfully empty of criminals, but Melissa suggested it was an ideal place to store the Ancillary until they were ready to move out, to which Roy readily agreed. They quickly exited the cells and again retraced their steps and crossed the junction before heading down the opposite corridor towards the unmarked door at the far end on the right; passing offices on their left, which they quickly checked, only to find the same bloody devastation they had found elsewhere, but thankfully no threats. Melissa again checked the scene through the front windows, and was relieved to find there was still no sign of either Reborn or infected. When she opened the door at the end of the corridor, they found another elevator and staircase as well as the armory; also secured by a keycard - but thankfully accessed by the card they already had in their possession.

  Inside they found it had been mostly emptied out, but there was a cache of ammunition that was the appropriate caliber for the rifles they were using, as well as a shotgun with several boxes of shells, and when they looked behind them, they discovered a few small firearms complete with ammunition. As it had taken them a while to secure the first floor, they went back to check on Kevin and the Ancillary, finding them exactly as they left them. They brought the pair inside and directed Kevin towards the interrogation rooms, instructing him to wait in the antechamber there while Roy and Melissa returned to the elevator opposite the armory. It had three buttons: basement, first floor and second floor. They checked the basement first, discovering a number of subsections, ranging from evidence storage, a power room, and information storage. It was clear of infected and Reborn so they took the elevator to the second floor. It was similar to the first floor, except in place of the briefing room, there were another set of interrogation rooms and a couple of large, open plan offices. It took time to fully secure the floor, following the inverted T corridor along and discovering - essentially in the room above the cells - there was a stairwell that allowed roof access. They looped back to the main avenue and found it consisted mostly of offices but with a few small departments which had been ransacked, just
like the ones downstairs. As satisfied as they could be, the pair retraced their steps and rode the elevator back down to the ground floor - exiting near the armory - before heading to meet back up with Kevin.

  “Judging by the blood, bodies and bullet holes, I’m sure a hell of a fight went on here, but it’s clear now.” Roy announced.

  “So we can hold out for a bit, get some supplies and see if we can find any info on what’s happening in the areas we’re planning on passing through before we head out.” Melissa stated, as much to herself as to Roy and Kevin. “First though, I think we should take a look and see if there’s anything left we can use as transport.” Turning away, she crossed the room to the door at the back and used the keycard to open it so she could peer outside. It was much darker now, but it was illuminated by a few floodlights on the side of the building and the perimeter wall. There were a few police cars there, but none built for the job they had in mind.

  “Well, there are no heavy duty vehicles out there, so I guess our best bet is that bus for powering out of the city.” Melissa stated. “First things first,” she added as she started to hand over the ring of keys and keycard to Kevin, “get her in a cell and then we’ll try to figure out what our next move is. I’m guessing these keys lock and unlock the cell doors, and the card is for the outer door.”

  For the first time the Ancillary complained, and shot a look at Melissa, as though she wanted her to be the one to incarcerate her. Melissa was dubious, but did not want the situation to deteriorate, so she nodded and approached her. She firmly grabbed the Ancillary’s arm, used the keycard to unlock the door leading to the cells, and shoved the Ancillary through. She followed behind, leading her to the first cell and stepped inside with her. Melissa removed the gag but left the handcuffs in place and then exited the cell, sliding the door shut and, after trying two that didn’t fit, inserting the right key to lock it.

  “I’d like a moment to talk with you, if I may, Witness.” The Ancillary announced.

  “No.” Melissa replied flatly, starting to walk away.

  “I’ll answer some of your questions if you do.”

  “What makes you think there’s anything you have to say that I want to hear?”

  “You won’t know if you don’t ask.”

  Melissa glared at her, and then started to leave, using the keycard to open the door and lean out to talk to Roy and Kevin who were waiting for her.

  “What did she want?” Roy demanded.

  “To talk.” Melissa informed him, glancing over her shoulder toward the cells and then back at Roy. “Maybe I should.”

  “It’ll probably be more lies.”

  “Probably. She’s pretty hardcore indoctrinated into what the Reborn believe... whatever that is.”

  “It’s not surprising, given her youth.” Kevin commented offhandedly, drawing the immediate attention of Melissa and Roy.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Melissa demanded.

  “Didn’t DeWitt or any of the others tell you?” Kevin asked, confused and looking guilty as though he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

  Melissa’s cold expression informed him that he needed to explain himself, and with some speed.

  “When we brought her in, she was given a physical - you know, to make sure she didn’t have any nasty surprises. The physical revealed that her body is... well, it’s horribly scarred. There’s not an inch on her back that isn’t marked; looks like a whip for starters and then some blades. The rest of her isn’t much better off. The x-rays we took revealed that most of her bones were broken or fractured when she was younger too. Whatever her young life was like, it was painful and bloody.” Kevin explained.

  Melissa looked at Roy, the faintest amount of sympathy in her heart for the Ancillary before she remembered who the woman was. She could see the conflicting expression passing over his face too, before his expression hardened. Whatever had happened to her, there was no justification for what she did now.

  “Maybe if she wants to talk it’d be worth it. You might be able to find out how the Reborn keep finding us.” Kevin suggested.

  “Kid’s right.” Roy said. “As difficult as it might be.”

  Melissa sighed, and made her choice.

  “Scrape together everything you can get your hands on - ammo, supplies, whatever you can find. See if you can get a map of the town so we can plot a way out, and maybe try to find a working radio so we can hear if anything’s going on, perhaps even get some news of the wider world.” She instructed before turning and heading back towards the Ancillary’s cell, the outer door closing almost silently behind her.

  Melissa came to a stop outside the cell, leaning against the bars of the cell on the opposite side while looking at the woman who had become her nemesis. She was sitting inside her cell on the metal bed. The two stared at each other for a while, with Melissa trying to remain calm and collected. She crossed her legs, and attempted to lean more comfortably.

  “We didn’t get a lot of time to talk back at the FBI building.” The Ancillary started. “Once I made the announcement of the releasing of the virus on a wider scale, they were oddly hesitant to let us speak. I had imagined they would have many questions for me; many questions that I would have answered if they’d only asked through you.”

  “Would you really have answered anything I asked?”

  “Of course. My mission was to talk with you and let you know about the great work the Teacher was undertaking.”

  “So, if you will answer any question I have to ask then tell me this: where did you get those scars?”

  The Ancillary smiled but Melissa saw her eyes flicker.

  “Those are from a... different part of my life.”

  “Tell me about it.” Melissa probed.

  “Before the Teacher found me I was part of a very dangerous family, and they had some interesting ideas when it came to discipline.”

  “Were they more interesting than unleashing a virus on the world that reanimates the dead?” Melissa questioned harshly.

  “The Reborn virus is a tool for building a better world. It’s not meant to be cruel; it’s just something that’s necessary. Cruelty is whipping someone for spilling a beer or cutting someone because they were wearing the wrong shoes. True cruelty is doing both at the same time for being one minute late coming down for dinner.”

  Melissa swallowed hard.

  “Is that what happened to you?”

  “It’s what happened to someone. Who I am is the product of many trials, tribulations and tests of strength. I am stronger for everything that’s happened in my life; I’ve been rebuilt by my pain into a person who can walk through any challenge with calmness in my heart and the will to see it through to the end without hesitating.”

  “That’s not true.” Melissa told her.

  “Oh, is it not?”

  “Sebastian.” Melissa stated matter-of-factly. The Ancillary’s smile faded for a moment.

  “He was a momentary lapse in judgment, and I received my punishment from the Teacher for allowing those kinds of emotions to overwhelm my rationality.”

  “Loving someone isn’t a lapse in judgment. If your Teacher actually valued human life, then he’d know that.”

  “I know what you’re trying to do, but sadly, Witness, it won’t work.”

  “Oh, and what am I trying to do?”

  “You’re trying to emotionally manipulate me into turning on the Teacher.”

  “No, I’m not. Actually, I honestly don’t know how much it matters whether you turn on the Teacher or not. The whole getting you to a secure facility and all that crap is irrelevant. And for the record, although I feel sorry for what happened to you, I know for a fact that you’re too cold hearted for me to be able to manipulate. I’m not imagining that our conversation will lead to much, unless you’re willing to tell me who the Teacher is, where he is, and if there’s a cure to the virus.”

  “A cure?” The Ancillary laughed. “They’re dead. There’s no cure for tha
t. As for the other points... the Teacher will meet with you and reveal himself to you, but you have to willingly choose to go to him, and I’m fairly certain you’re not ready for that. There’s more for you to see before then.”

  “Fair enough. How about your name? Are you willing to tell me that?”

  “My name is the Ancillary. Who I was before I took that name is irrelevant to who I am now.”

  “Is that because it might lead back to that dangerous family of yours? Are you afraid someone might leverage them against you?” Melissa shot back. A truly devilish grin spread across the Ancillary’s face.

  “There’s no chance of that. We all pay a price to join the Reborn, and fortunately, my family paid mine for me.”

  Melissa caught the implication and imagined that the Ancillary had been the one to kill them. If they were responsible for all the scars on her body, Melissa couldn’t say she blamed her wanting them dead for what they had done to her. Did it justify their murder? Before Galgambwe and the Seraph, Melissa would’ve said it wasn’t justice in the accepted sense. Now though, Melissa couldn’t see the world in quite the same black and white way she did before. They fell into silence and stared at each other. Melissa took a deep breath and considered her next question carefully, but the Ancillary beat her too it.

  “I don’t suppose we’ll get something to eat soon?”

  “Huh?”

  “I haven’t eaten for... Well, as long as you haven’t eaten. Hunger is one of the worst feelings, don’t you agree? You should get something too. I mean, after all, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. You need your strength.”